Women wash Jesus' feet in Bethany and in Galilee The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and John tell the story of Mary of Bethany washing Jesus' feet. The Gospel of Luke, however, describes a separate event -in which an unnamed woman, described as a sinner, washes His feet with her tears. A Woman Washes Jesus' Feet 36 One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him, so Jesus went into the Pharisee's house and sat at the table.
37 A sinful woman in the town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house. So she brought an alabaster jar of perfume 38 and stood behind Jesus at his feet, crying. She began to wash his feet with her tears, and she dried them with her.
Mary (Martha's sister) then took a pound of pure spikenard ointment worth a great price and anointed Jesus' feet, wiping His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the aroma of the ointment (John 12:3). Then, to add even more confusion, John describes Mary of Bethany, aka Martha's sister, anointing his feet with nard and wiping them with her hair.
Only in John's gospel is the woman named as Mary of Bethany. That said, none of the accounts suggest any involvement by Mary Magdalene. Who washed Jesus' feet? According to John 12:1-3, Matthew 26:6-13 and Mark 14:3-9, Mary of Bethany, the sister to Lazarus, and Martha, was one of the women that washed Jesus' feet.
Luke 7:36-39 also describes a different story of a woman that washed Jesus' feet in Galilee. Many Christians believe that this woman is Mary Magdalene. Mary Anoints Jesus at Bethany 1 Six days before i the Passover, j Jesus therefore came to Bethany, k where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.
2 So they gave a dinner for him there. l Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. 3 m Mary therefore took a pound 1 of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his.
Luke 7:36-50 - The most detailed account of the woman who washed Jesus' feet with her tears and anointed them with expensive ointment. John 12:1-8 - Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, anoints Jesus' feet with costly perfume and wipes them with her hair. When Mary anoints Jesus' feet and then wipes them with her hair, she foreshadows Jesus' actions at the upcoming Last Supper when the Lord washes the disciples' feet and teaches them how to love one another through sacrificial, humble service (John 13:1-20).
Mary - First of two anointings by two different women Evening of the 8th of Nisan. Mary, the sister of both Lazarus and Martha, anointed Jesus' feet with spikenard six days before His crucifixion. Spikenard is an expensive, perfumed ointment used for anointing the dead.
The act of washing feet in the ancient Near Eastern context was a task reserved for the lowliest of servants. By performing this act, Mary demonstrates a profound understanding of Jesus' teaching on servanthood and humility, as later exemplified by Jesus Himself when He washes the feet of His disciples (John 13:1-17). Contrast with Judas Iscariot.